Proportioning device



March 6, 1951 R. B. sARGENT 2,543,941

PROPORTIONNG DEVICE Filed March s, 194 s spans-sheet 1 Marh 6, 1951 R. B. sARGl-:NT

PRoPoRTIoNING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 6, 1946 Pf/mamy March 6, 1951 R. B. SARGENT 2,543,941

PRoPoR'rIoNING DEVICE Filed March 6, 194e :s sheets-sheet 3 Patented Mar. 6, 1951 UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,543,941 PROPR'HONING DEVICE Richard B; Sargent, Eraenheim, Pa., assignor to Hale Fire Pump Co., Conshohocken, Pa., 'a cor-v poration of. Pennsylvania Appliatit Mai-th 6, 1946seria1 Namaste 16'o1aims'. (o1. 169-45) This inventionrlates proportioning devices of the type used,A `for example; in fire-fighting apparatus for introducing fain producing substances into a stream of Water owing from the pumps.

-A principal object of th invention is to provide a proportioning device of this class which shall be generally more eflcint` that the prior devices,rshall be highlyy accurate over a wide range of pressure and volume offlow, and which is susceptible of embodiment in `a relatively small and inexpensive unit that may beplaced at any convenient spot in the hose line; Y

Another object of the intention is to provide a device of the stated character, thuseof Which will involve a relatively small pressure' loss in' the Water conduit.

Still another object' of the invention is to provide a proportioner of" the stated character which shall exhibit superior priming characteristics.

The invention resides also in certain novel structural and functional details hereinafter described and illustrated in the attached drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a proportioning deviceV made in accordance with the invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are corresponding. views illustrating with Fig. 1 the several operating conditions contemplated by the invention;

Fig. 4 is a schematic View illustrating a modication of the apparatus shown in the preceding figures, and

Figs. 5,r 6,` and 7 are schematic views illustrating a modication with-in the'scope of the invention. With reference to Figs'. 1; 2, and 3 of the drawings, the deviceV consists-'essentially of a positive' displacement water motor I which isl placed in a conduit 2 through whichV Water iszdischarged: from a pressure source not' shown. Them'otorl is of the positive displace'rrient:ty'pe,` and the arrangement' is such that all of the water passing. through; the conduit' passes. also through the motor. Various types' off tva-ter motor may be employed and inthepresent instance the motor is in the' form of' a threeflobed rotary pump of a conventional formi whereinY the interm'eshing rotors, 3'and I respectively, are synchronized by means hereinafter described.

In accordance with theA invention; a duct 5' is provided Whi'chi'by-passes-l the' moto-r I and whichI contains a positive displacement pump' fvvhi'ch',` inthe present in'staruxeil isvof the gear type and consists of two toothed rotorsf Tand8irespectiva-V 2 ly@ These rotors are individually directly connected and are actuated by the rotors 3 and 4 of the motor I. All liquid passing through the duct 5 passes also through the pump 6.

Provision is made for introducing the foamproducing substance into the by-pass duct 5 from a suitable source (not shown) by way of a duct 9,' and the connection between this duct and the channel 5 is controlled by a three-Way valve I I. When the valve is in the position shown in Fig. l the duct 9 is disconnected fromV the duct 5 While the latter duct is open for passage of water therethrough from the duct 2. When the valve I'I is shifted to the position shown in Fig. 3, the source of foam-producing substance is connected directly to the duct 5 for passage of said substance to the conduit 2. In this position of the valve,l the duct 5 is disconnected from the conduit 2 at the upper side of the water motor, the foam substance iswithdrawn from the source by the pump 6 and is passed through a check valve I2 in the duct 5 into the duct 2 at a'point below the vvater motor. Since the motor and pump are exactly synchronized and since both the motor and thev pump are positive displacementunits, an exact amount of the foam forming'substancewill be introduced into the conduit 2 and this amount will bev accurately proportioned to the quantity ofY waterflowing through the conduit.l It- Will be noted that a d uct I3 is connected to the duct 5 between the pump 6 and the valve I2. This duct I3 extends to a port It in the casing I5 of the valve II. The valve element II has a passage ItV which extends completely through the body of the valve, and one end of this passage will, in a predetermined position of the valve II, register with the port I4. Diametrically opposite thevport I4 is av second port II in the casing` I5 and'tothis port is connected a duct I3 which extends to atmosphere or to a suitable point of discharge. When the passage I6 registers Withthe port I-`4, it registers also with the port I'I and connects said ports so that the passage' I3- is then directly connected with atmosphere.

When the valvell is in the position shown in Fig. 2; therefore, the pump is connected through av restrictedopening; to the duct 9 and to the foam material source. Also, the passage I6 connects the' ports' I4 and I'I. Operation of the pump under these conditions will tend to discharge the fo'anrmaterial Withdrawn from the source through the duct I3 to exhaust. In this manner any air in the lines connecting the foam source with the pump will be discharged through the pipe I8 and the pump will be adequately primed with the foam substance. It will be noted that this position of the valve is an intermediate one between the positions of Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 and that subsequent movement of the valve into the Fig. 3 position will close the duct I3 and permit discharge of the foam substance directly into the duct 2.

In the operation of the device, assuming that water alone is required, the valve will occupy the position shown in Fig. 1. In this case the pump functions as a water motor so that in effect the pump is driven by the water passing through the duct which avoids unnecessary load on the water motor. This materially reduces the pressure. loss through the proportioning' apparatus. This also provides for a continuous flow of the water through the pump so that the latter is in effect always primed. If foam is required, the valve I is rst-shifted to the position shown in Fig. 2. It has been found that small proportioning pumps are diicult to keep tight enough to pump water and air from the pipe leading from the foam liquid source to the proportion pump. Water having very little viscosity tends to slip by the clearances so that at the slow speed at which the pump `is required to run, i. e. in direct drive from the slow-speed lowloss water motor, it will not always pump plain water against the relatively high pressure in the conduit 2. It is of material advantage therefor to get the high viscosity foam material into the proportioning pump before subjecting the pump' discharge to the high pressure of the fire hose line. The duct I3 and the valve passage' I6 perform this function. As soon as a solid stream of the foam liquid is noted at the discharge duct I8, the valve is shifted to the position shown in Fig. 3 wherein the foam liquid is pumped directly into the duct 2 through the check valve I2.

In the illustrated embodiment wherein the rotors of the motor I are connected to the rotors of the pump 6, the latter has in addition to its pumping function, the additional function of synchronizing the rotors 3 and 4 of the motor. This makes for simplification, economy, and compactness in the structure of the proportioning unit. It is apparent, however, that the motor may be provided with separate synchronizing means and that the pump, being relieved of the synchronizing function, may then be made of any form that may be found suitable. Obviously the water motor as well as the pump may be of widely different characters, it being only necessaryto a practice of the invention that both of these elements be of a positive displacement type.

It is apparent that the system as described above is susceptible to some modification without departure from the invention. Thus the discharge from the pump 6 may be introduced into the duct 2 at a point upstream from the water motor in which case, when the valve I I occupies a position corresponding to that shown in Fig. 1, the pump 6 would not function as a motor, but as a circulating pump operating at very low pressure. This would preclude the operation of the pump as a water motor as in the embodiment 6 is established in a duct |9 extending from the source of the foam-producing substance (not shown) to the conduit 2 at a point above the motor I. A duct 20, also connected to the conduit 2 above the motor I, connects with the duct I9 at a point intermediate the pump 6 and said source, and a valve IIa, corresponding essentially to the valve I I of the previous embodiment, provides for establishing communication between the pump and the said source while simultaneously shutting oi communication between the ducts I9 and 20, or, alternatively, between the pump and the duct 26 to the exclusion of the said source. The diierent positions of the valve I Ia affording the above connections are indicated in the drawings.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, the water motor 2| and conduit 22 are as in the embodiment of Figs. l to 3. The foam liquid is introduced into the. conduit, 22 from a suitable source 23 by way of a duct 24, the latter containing apump 26 of positive displacement type which feeds the said liquid at a predetermined desired rate. The rotors 21 and 29 of the motor 2| are synchronized by gears 29 and 3|, in well known manner,v and the pump 26 is operatively connected to the said gears so as to be driven by and in synchronismwith the motor. The pump drive is effected through a gear 32 which maybe shifted so as to mesh selectively with the gears 29 and 3|, and so as to occupy an intermediate or neutral position between said gears, as indicated inl the drawing. When the gear 32 is meshed with the gear 29 it will be rotated as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5 and the pump will draw foam liquid from the source 23 and will force the said liquid into conduit 22. When the gear 32 is meshed with the gear 3| it will be rotated in the opposite direction and the pump /ill be reversed and will tend to withdraw water from the conduit and force said water through the duct 24. By withdrawing the duct from the source 23, see Fig. 6, the duct and the pump may under these conditions be flushed free from the foam liquid. When the gear 32 is in the neu tral position, as shown in Fig. 7, the pump 26 will be inoperative, and plain water may then be discharged through the conduit.

I claim:

1. In combination, a conduit for fluid under pressure, a positive displacement fluid motor in said conduit, a by-pass duct connected at both ends with said conduit, a positive displacement pump in saidby-pass, a duct connected to a source of other fluid and extending to the intake side of the pump, `valve means for controlling the connections between the intake end of the by-pass and the conduit and between the said duct 'and the pump, whereby the conduit and the said source may bev connected selectively and individually to` the intake end of the pump, and means for synchronizing said motor and pump.

2. In combination, a conduit for fluid under pressure, a positive displacement fluid motor in previously described, but in other respects the said conduit, a by-pass duct extending around said motor, a positive displacement pump inY said by-pass, a duct connected to a source of other fluid and extending to the intake side of the pump, valve means for controlling the connections between the intake end of the by-pass and the conduit and between the said duct and the pump, whereby the conduit .and the said source may be connecte'd selectively and individually to the intake end of the. pump, and means for synchronizing said motor and pump.

3.. The combination definedv in` claim 1, wherein'; the said connectingy and disconnecting valve means consists of a multiple-way valve.

4. In combinati-on, a conduit for iluid under pressure, a positive displacement fiuid motorin saidconduit, a by-pass duct connected at both ends with said conduit, a positive displacement pump in said by-pass, a check valve in said bycharge port in the by-pass intermediate the pump and the check valve, a supplyl duct connected to theby-pass at the intake sidel ofthe pumpvalve means for controlling-thel connectionsv between the intake end of the by-pass and the conduit and between the said supply duct and the pump, whereby the conduit and the said duct may be connected selectively and. individually to the intake end of the pump, and means formomentarily opening said dischargeport coincidentally with the initial connection of the supply duct with the by-pass.

5. In means for injecting a fluid substance into the streamof fluid in a pressure conduit in amounts proportioned to the quantity of fluid passing through said conduit, a positive-displacement fluid motor in said conduit affording a measure of the quantity of fluid passing therethrough, a supply duct for said fluid substance connected to the conduit and containing a positive displacement pump for electing` said injection, a duct for establishing connection between the conduit and the supply duct at a point intermediate the pump and ther source of said fluid substance, valve means for connecting the pump selectively and individually with the conduit by way of said connecting duct and with said source, and transmission means 4operatively connecting the motor with the pump.

6. In means for injecting a fluid substance into the stream of fluid in a pressure conduit in amounts proportioned to the quantity of fluid passing through said conduit, a positive-displacement iluid motor of the synchronized multiple rotor type in said conduit, a supply duct for said fluid substance connected to the conduit, and synchronizing gears for said motor, said gears being established in said supply duct so as to constitute a positive displacement pump for effecting said injection.

7. In means for injecting a iluid substance into the stream of fluid in a pressure conduit in amounts proportioned to the quantity of uid passing through said conduit, a positive-displacement fluid motor of the synchronized multiple rotor type in said conduit, a supply duct for said fluid substance connected to the conduit, synchronizing gears for said motor, said gears being established in said supply duct so as to constitute a positive displacement pump for effecting said injection, and valve means for selectively and individually connecting the intake side of said pump with the source of said fluid substance and with the conduit.

8. In means for injecting a fluid substance into the stream of fluid in a pressure conduit in amounts proportioned to the quantity of fluid passing through said conduit, a positive-displacement fluid motor in said conduit affording a measure of the quantity of uid passing therethrough, a supply duct for said fluid substance connected to the conduit and containing a positive displacement pump for effecting said injection, means for operatively connecting said pump and-motor,- andA va1ve means for establishing connection between the supply duct and said conduit at two points on opposite sides respectivelyof said pump andrespectively at oppositesides of the motor and for simultaneously disconnecting the source of said fluid substance, whereby the said pump may function as a second motor in parallel with the said motor iirst named.

9. In means for injecting a fluid substance into the stream of'fluid in a pressure conduit in amountsl proportioned to the quantity of duid passing through said conduit, a positive-displacement fluid motor in said conduit affording ameasure of the quantity of fluid passing therethrough, a supplyr duct for said fluid substance connected' to the conduit and containing a positive displacement pump for effecting said injection, means for operatively connecting said pump andV motor, means for connecting the intake side of the pump with the conduit, and a single valve operative in different positions to connect therintake side of the pump with the conduit and with thesource of said fluid substance respectively and individually.

10. In means for injecting a iiuid substance into the stream of fluid in a pressurer conduit in amounts proportioned to the quantity of fluid passing through said conduit, a positive-displacement fluid motor in said conduit affording a measure of the quantity of fluid passing therethrough, a supply duct for said fluid substance connected to the conduit and containing a positive displacement pump for effecting said injection, means for operatively connecting said pump and motor, means for connecting the intake side of the pump with the conduit, a normally closed vent port in the said supply duct at the discharge side of the pump, and a single valve operative in different positions to connect the intake side of the pump with the conduit and with the source of said uid substance respectively and individually, and operative while in the latter position to selectively open and close said vent port.

1l. In combination, a conduit for fluid under pressure, a fluid motor in said conduit, a source of other fluid, duct means connected with said source and with said conduit, a pump in said duct actuated by the motor, and a two-position selective control assembly for connecting the intake of said pump with said source and said conduit respectively.

12. In combination, a conduit for fluid under pressure, a fluid motor in said conduit, a source of other fluid, duct means for connecting said source with the conduit, a pump in said duct. means for operatively connecting the pump with the motor so as to actuate the pump to withdraw fluid from said source and to inject the fluid so withdrawn into the conduit, and means for interrupting operation of said pump independently of the motor so as to relieve the motor of the pump load.

13. In combinati-on, a conduit for fluid under pressure, a fluid motor in said conduit, a source of other fluid, duct means for connecting said source with the conduit, a pump in said duct having a suction port connected to the said source and having a separate discharge port directed toward the conduit, a valve controlling the connection of said duct with the conduit, a discharge port in said duct intermediate the said valve and the pump, and Valve means for controlling said discharge port.

14. In combination, a conduit for fluid underA pressure, a fluid motor in said conduit, a source of other iiuid, a duct connected to said conduit, means for connecting the duct selectively to said source and to a point of discharge, a pump in said duct, means for operatively connecting the pump with the motor, and means for reversing said pump.

15. In combination, a conduit for uid under pressure, a positive displacement iluid motor in said conduit, a by-pass duct connected at both ends With said conduit, a positive displacement pump in said by-pass, a control valve in said bypass at the discharge side of the pump operative when closed to preclude flow from the conduit to the by-pass at that end of the latter, a normally closed discharge port in the by-pass intermediate the pump and the control valve, a supply duct connected to the lay-Dass at the intake side of the pump, and valve means for disconnecting the intake end of said by-pass duct from the conduit and for connecting the by-pass with said supply duct when the by-pass is so disconnected, said valve means including a device for momentarily opening said discharge port coincidentally with the initial connection of the supply duct with the by-pass.

16. In a device for introducing a fluid agent into a primary stream of fluid in a pressure con? duit, a fluid motor inV said conduit actuated by said primary stream, a duct system connected to said conduit and to a source of said fluid agent,` a pump in said system operatively connected to.'

the motor for actuation by the latter, a two-position selective control assembly operatively associated with the pump and constructed and arranged so that in one position the fluid agent isl REFERENCES CITED 'Ihe following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date l 1,137,927 Thomas May 4, 1915 1,164,681 Thomas Dec. 21, 1915 2,184,346 Hinsch Dec. 26, 1939 -2,374,516

Wendall Apr. 24, 1945 

